Geoff Joshua celebrates 50th First-Class match milestone

Cricket Australia National Umpire Panel Member Geoff Joshua today stands in his 50th First-Class match when South Australia host Queensland at the Adelaide Oval.

Joshua’s First-Class career began at the same venue in October 2009 when South Australia hosted Victoria in the Sheffield Shield. On that occasion, Victorian Brad Hodge would make an imposing 195 in what would turn out to be his last First-Class match. Joshua’s partner for that match was now ICC Elite Umpire Panel member Rod Tucker and Match Referee Bob Stratford.

Joshua began his umpiring journey in the early 1990’s in the ranks of Victorian District Cricket and made his First Grade debut in the 1995/96 season. Joshua was selected for representative duty in the 2002/03 and 2004/05 seasons when he was appointed to the Under 17 Male National Championships. Within two seasons, Joshua’s pathway progressed with appointment to the Under 19 Male National Championships in the 2006/07 season. The following season Joshua made his List-A Debut in the Domestic One-Day Cup match between Victoria and Tasmania at the MCG.

Joshua officiated in a further three Domestic One-Day Cup matches and two State T20 Big Bash matches in the 2008/09 season before being elevated to the Cricket Australia National Umpire Panel in 2009/10. Just prior to his First-Class debut in October 2009 he officiated in the Under 19 International Top-End Series between Australia and Sri Lanka. The following season, Joshua officiated in the Women’s T20 International Series between Australia and England. Joshua was again appointed to the Women’s Ashes Series in 2013/14, standing in a One-Day International match at the MCG. In the most recent 2017/18 Women’s Ashes Series, Joshua stood on-field with Gerard Abood in the only Test Match at North Sydney Oval. Joshua’s international duties have also seen him appointed as Fourth Umpire in the First and Third Test matches the last time India toured Australia in the 2014/15 season.

Joshua’s First-Class umpiring career also has an international flavour, as he travelled to New Zealand on exchange in the 2015/16 season to officiate in the Plunkett Shield match between Central Districts and Canterbury. A year later, Joshua travelled to South Africa to officiate in two Sunfoil Series Matches. One of these matches was at the famous Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

In addition to his 49 First-Class matches, Joshua has stood on-field in 41 Domestic One-Day Cup matches with a further 19 as TV Umpire. In the shortest format, Joshua has been appointed to 40 KFC Big Bash League matches with a further 25 as TV Umpire. Joshua’s Victorian Premier Cricket contribution spans more than two decades and includes three First-Grade finals as well as being named Cricket Victoria’s Umpire of the Year in 2016/17.

Joshua becomes just the 7th Victorian Umpire to reach the 50 First-Class match milestone. Joshua will be joined on-field by Tony Wilds with David Talalla officiating as Match Referee.